Gaining Trust Through Transparency

Pharmaceutical companies often struggle to gain people’s trust. One of the reasons for this is due to the perception that they lack transparency and are hiding important information from consumers and healthcare practitioners.

In the area of clinical trials, for example, pharma companies are often thought to withhold key data. According to a recent article in Forbes, some companies are significantly better at disclosing clinical research findings than others.

Why do people need transparency?

What people often want when they’re struggling with health-related issues is comprehensive information, along with a better understanding of what’s going on with their bodies, their treatment course, and the expenses they incur.

There’s so much complexity in healthcare, people can often feel lost in the midst of all the data and unfamiliar concepts. They come across terminology they don’t understand and uncertainties that are difficult to grapple with. They’re concerned about side effects and costs and suspicious of the substances they’re putting into their bodies can lead to weaker adherence to treatment.

Furthermore, as pointed out in the Forbes article, when people’s trust in the pharmaceutical industry diminishes, chances are they’ll be less likely to participate in clinical trials. Faced with a lack of transparency, healthcare professionals will also hesitate before directing patients toward certain treatment regimens.

Transparency is empowering. By weakening the barriers between companies and consumers, it encourages a flow of information, important feedback, and the opportunity to drum up enthusiasm for groundbreaking findings and possible life-saving research programs.

Consider the ways in which you can make your company reasonably transparent: reporting clinical findings clearly; educating patients about the purpose of different drugs; showing patients the ways in which you respect their personal data; and by making ethical decisions in medication pricing. Transparency is key to building trust and establishing a stronger relationship with both patients and medical professionals.

To hear more about how you can gain customer buy-in and strengthen relationships with patients and HCPs, attend Digital Pharma East, taking place October 24-27, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. This year’s event brings together more than 800 pharmaceutical, biotech and medical device innovators who are implementing company-wide digital ecosystems to embed digital health across all channels to enhance customer experience. To learn more about this event please download the brochure or visit the website. Click here to register and be sure to mention Priority Code C649BLOG.